5 workers suffocate to death at rice mill in Bahraich
According to preliminary reports, the mishap occurred due to smoke emanating from a dryer inside the mill. The victims were reportedly trapped in the smoke, leading to severe respiratory distress. Despite immediate rescue efforts, five workers succumbed.
In a tragic incident, five workers lost their lives due to suffocation at a rice mill under Dargah police station area of Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district on Friday. Three other workers, who had fallen unconscious, are currently undergoing treatment at the local medical college.
According to preliminary reports, the mishap occurred due to smoke emanating from a dryer inside the mill. The victims were reportedly trapped in the smoke, leading to severe respiratory distress. Despite immediate rescue efforts, five workers succumbed.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the tragedy and directed officials to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured and extend assistance to the families of the deceased. The incident has sparked fresh concerns over workplace safety in industrial units, prompting authorities to vow thorough inspections to prevent future mishaps.
District magistrate Monica Rani has constituted a team to investigate safety protocols and lapses at the facility. She, along with superintendent of police Ramanayan Singh, visited the emergency ward of the medical college following the incident. Authorities are probing the exact cause of the smoke and any potential safety violations at the mill.
Bahraich police confirmed that eight workers initially lost consciousness due to smoke inhalation. Five were declared dead, and the bodies have been sent for the post-mortem examination, while the remaining three are receiving medical care.
Fire officer Vishal Gaur said he received a distress call on his CUG number reporting a fire at Rajgarhia Mill. A fire tender was immediately dispatched. “There was no fire, but dense smoke was coming from the dryer. With the help of locals, eight workers were pulled out and rushed to the hospital,” he said. “Doctors later informed us that five had died, while three are undergoing treatment,” he added.
Chief medical superintendent Dr MM Tripathi confirmed: “Out of the eight brought in, five were brought dead and three are being treated.”
According to mill director Vinod Agarwal, the dryer is a fully automated system designed to remove moisture from paddy using steam-generated hot air, with no possibility of fire or smoke under normal conditions.
The incident reportedly unfolded at around 5am, when a worker noticed smoke inside the dryer and switched off the machine before entering to investigate. When he failed to return, seven other workers entered one by one, only to get trapped and fall unconscious. The exact cause of the smoke is being investigated.
The deceased have been identified as Gaffar Ali (40), Bablu (28), and Rajnesh Kumar (35), all residents of Gadvana Sourya in Kannauj; Jahur (50), a resident of Sirsia, Shravasti; and Bittu Shah (30), a resident of Bihariganj, Madhepura, Bihar. The workers receiving treatment at the hospital are Sukhdev, Devi Prasad, and Surendra Shukla.
Meanwhile, the management of the rice mill announced financial assistance of ₹10 lakh each for the family of the deceased and ₹50,000 each for those admitted in the hospital.
